Previous by Date Index by Date
Threaded Index
Next by Date


Previous by Thread Next by Thread


Chemistry Journal License

I've just read a brief license for a major chemistry journal that we want
to add in online form to our Yale Library journals collection (we will
keep the print as well). 

It says:  "Use of any of the copyrighted material is only for the
individual's personal use.  Articles and portions thereof and information
obtained from this service are not to be re-published inany media, print
or electronic, resold, or otherwise distributed to others, including
inter-library loan."

A few important questions arise here for me; they are typical of many
licenses that we encounter.  Any of your insights or thoughts, from both
librarians and publishers, are welcome: 

1.  The license is online -- there is no print and no signatures required. 
You click to agree and then may proceed.  This does not give the
prospective licensee an easy opportunity to seek changes.  Comments?  Is
this a valid license? 

2.  Personal use:  does this language, to your mind, allow our students to
use excerpts of articles (i.e., quotes or citations as one now uses in
print works) in their papers? (perhaps).  Does it allow our
faculty/researchers to use same in their scholarly publications without
permission (doubtful, to my mind).  In short, does this license permit
"normal"  academic/educational use? (I do not think so).  

3.  What would you do knowing that your readers would immediately act in a
way that might be counter to the intention of this language, even though
their actions would be within normal academic use? 

4.  The matter is complicated in that the resource is "free," at least for
now.  Does "freeness" mean we should agree to terms we might otherwise
change if this were a paid resource?  As it one day may well become? 

Thanks for your feedback.


Ann Okerson
Associate University Librarian
Yale University
Ann.Okerosn@yale.edu




http://www.library.yale.edu/liblicense
© 1996, 1997 Yale University Library
Please read our Disclaimer
E-mail us with feedback